Energy-dissipation system
A child restraint includes a juvenile vehicle seat and an energy-absorption apparatus coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat. The energy-absorption apparatus is configured to absorb external energy associated with an external impact force applied to the energy-absorption apparatus.
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The present disclosure relates to energy-absorbing apparatus, and in particular, to devices for dissipating energy associated with external impact forces. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an energy-dissipation system included in a juvenile product such as a child-restraint system.
When exposed to an external impact force, a juvenile vehicle seat at rest on a seat in a car or truck will accelerate as it moves to a new location in the passenger compartment of a car or truck. A child seated in such a moving juvenile vehicle seat will also accelerate as the juvenile vehicle seat moves in the passenger compartment.
A g-load is a measurement of an object's acceleration measured in gs. The g is a non-SI unit equal to the nominal acceleration due to gravity on earth at sea level. A short-term acceleration experienced by a child seated in a juvenile vehicle seat (or any other juvenile seat) that moves suddenly is called a shock and is measured in gs.
SUMMARYAn energy-dissipation system in accordance with the present disclosure is included in an apparatus that is exposed to external impact forces. In an illustrative embodiment, the energy-dissipation system is coupled to a juvenile vehicle seat to provide a child-restraint system.
In illustrative embodiments, the energy-dissipation system includes a ride-down pad coupled to a headrest included in a juvenile vehicle seat. The ride-down pad includes one or more force dissipaters.
Each illustrative force dissipater includes an air bag formed to include an air chamber and vent means for venting pressurized air developed in the air chamber through an air-discharge port formed in the air bag to the surroundings outside the air bag only during deformation of that air bag caused by exposure of that air bag to an external impact force associated with an external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat.
When the juvenile vehicle seat is exposed to an external impact force, each air bag is deformed when exposed to such a force. The normally inflated air bag(s) deflate to cause the ride-down pad to absorb external energy associated with the external impact force to minimize g-loads experienced by a child seated on the juvenile vehicle seat.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
An illustrative child-restraint system 11 includes a juvenile vehicle seat 10 and an energy-dissipation system 16 coupled to juvenile vehicle seat 10 as suggested in
Each energy-dissipation system 16 comprises a ride-down pad that is designed to minimize the g-loads experienced by a child seated on seat bottom 12 of juvenile vehicle seat 10 during exposure of seat 10 to an external impact force. Ride-down pads 21, 22 are shown, for example, in
As suggested in
During a collision or other incident, application of an external impact force 20 to right-side ride-down pad 21 causes energy to be transferred from an impacting object (not shown) to right-side ride-down pad 21 as suggested in
Right-side ride-down pad 21 includes a first force dissipater 101 including a first air bag 41 and a first airbag vent 141 and a second force dissipater 102 including a second air bag 42 and a second airbag vent 142 as shown, for example, in
In illustrative embodiments, a deformable bag-shape retainer shield 43 is also included in right-side ride-down pad 21 to provide a protective cover for first and second air bags 41, 42 as suggested in
First air bag 41 is formed to include a first air chamber 50 and first and second air-discharge ports 51, 52 opening into first air chamber 50 as suggested in
Second air bag 42 is formed to include a second air chamber 60 and first and second air-discharge ports 61, 62 opening into second air chamber 60 as suggested in
First airbag vent 141 is formed to include means for venting pressurized air developed in first air chamber 50 through one or more air-discharge ports (e.g., ports 51, 52) formed in first air bag 41 during deformation of first air bag 41 caused, for example, by exposure of first air bag 41 to an external impact force 20 applied to juvenile vehicle seat 10 as suggested in
As suggested in
As suggested in
As also suggested in
As suggested in
Second valve flap 1522 is mounted for movement relative to first valve flap 1521 from a port-closing position (shown, for example, in
Second airbag vent 142 is formed to include means for venting pressurized air developed in second air chamber 60 through one or more air-discharge ports (e.g., ports 61, 62) formed in second air bag 42 during deformation of second air bag 42 caused, for example, by exposure of second air bag 42 to an external impact force 20 applied to juvenile vehicle seat 10 as suggested in
As suggested in
Second valve flap 1612 is mounted for movement relative to first valve flap 1611 from a port-closing position (shown, for example, in
As suggested in
Second valve flap 1622 is mounted for movement relative to first valve flap 1621 from a port-closing position (shown, for example, in
Deformable bag-shape retainer shield 43 includes a top wall 44 and a side wall 45 coupled to top wall 44 to form an interior region 46 containing first and second air bags 41, 42 as suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, top wall 44 of shield 43 is round and side wall 45 is an endless strip having a frustoconical shape as suggested in
Child restraint 11 also includes anchor means 70 for coupling side wall 45 of deformable bag-shape retainer shield 43 to inner wall 27 of first side-wing panel 31 of headrest 26 as suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, an outer cover 80 is coupled to headrest 26 and arranged to cover each of right-side and left-side ride-down pads 21, 22. Outer cover 80 functions to dissipate energy associated with external impact forces 20 and to protect ride-down pads 21, 22 from damage. In an illustrative embodiment, outer cover 80 includes an outer skin 82 and a cushion 84 under outer skin 82 as shown, for example, in
As suggested in
In the illustrated embodiment, an inner shell 90, and outer shell 92, and a partition 91 located between inner and outer shells 90, 92 cooperate to form first and second air bags 41, 42 as suggested in
As suggested in
First and second force dissipaters 101′, 102′ in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure are shown, for example, in
Each of valve units 151′, 152′, 261′, 262′ includes first and second valve flaps as suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, first valve unit 151′ includes a first valve flap 1511′ and a separate second valve flap 1512′ as suggested in
First valve flap 1511′ is made of a pliable elastic material and formed to include a parabola-shaped, concave, forward edge 1511e. First valve flap 1511′ is coupled along a U-shaped, three-sided, perimeter edge 1511p to side wall 150s of first air bag 41 to present forward edge 1511e in close proximity to first air-discharge port 51.
Second valve flap 1512′ is made of a pliable elastic material and formed to include a parabola-shaped, concave, forward edge 1512e as suggested in
Each of first and second valve flaps 1511′, 1512′ is elastic and configured normally to assume a normally closed position covering first air-discharge port 51 to block discharge of air from first air chamber 50 in first air bag 41 to the surroundings as suggested in
When exposed to air in first air chamber 50, which air has been pressured to a level in excess of a predetermined minimum pressure during, for example, deformation of first air bag 41, each of first and second valve flaps 1511′, 1512′ are stretched elastically to assume a port-opening position as suggested in
Claims
1. A child restraint comprising
- a juvenile vehicle seat and
- an energy-dissipation system coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat, the energy-dissipation system including a first force dissipater including a first air bag formed to include a first air chamber and a first air-discharge port opening into the first air chamber and first vent means coupled to the first air bag for venting pressurized air developed in the first air chamber through the first air-discharge port during deformation of the first air bag caused by exposure of the first air bag to an external impact force associated with an external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat, wherein the first air bag is formed to locate the first air-discharge port between the first air chamber and the first vent means,
- wherein the first air bag is undivided and further includes a second air-discharge port separated from the first air-discharge port and arranged to open into the first air chamber and the first vent means includes a first valve unit coupled to the first air bag and configured to regulate flow of air through the first air-discharge port and a separate second valve unit coupled to the wall and configured to regulate flow of air through the second air-discharge port.
2. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the first air bag includes a top portion, a bottom portion arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the top portion to define the first air chamber therebetween, and a side wall arranged to interconnect the top and bottom portions and to define a boundary of the first air chamber and the side wall is formed to include the first air-discharge port and the first vent means is coupled to the side wall and arranged normally to close the first air-discharge port.
3. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the side wall is also formed to include a second air-discharge port separated from the first air-discharge port and arranged to open into the first air chamber and the first vent means is coupled to the side wall and arranged normally to close the second air-discharge port.
4. The child restraint of claim 3, wherein the first vent means includes a first valve unit coupled to the side wall and configured to regulate flow of air through the first air-discharge port and a separate second valve unit coupled to the wall and configured to regulate flow of air through the second air-discharge port.
5. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the first valve unit includes a first valve flap coupled to the first air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the first air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps cooperate to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps cooperate to form an air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port.
6. The child restraint of claim 5, wherein the first and second valve flaps are arranged to lie in overlapping relation to one another when the first and second valve flaps assume the port-closing position and to lie in separated relation to one another when the first and second valve flaps assume the port-opening position.
7. The child restraint of claim 5, wherein the first and second valve flaps are arranged to lie in fully overlapping relation to one another when the first and second valve flaps assume the port-closing position and in partly overlapping relation to one another to cause a first edge of the first valve flap to lie in spaced-apart relation to a first edge of the second valve flap to form the air-conducting passage therebetween when the first and second valve flaps assume the port-opening position.
8. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the first air bag includes an interior surface defining a boundary of the first air chamber and an exterior surface facing away from the first air chamber and the first vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag.
9. The child restraint of claim 8, wherein the exterior surface is arranged to lie between the interior surface and the first vent means.
10. The child restraint of claim 8, wherein the first vent means includes a first valve flap having a first anchor coupled to the exterior surface and a first closure coupled to the first anchor for movement between a normally closed position blocking discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and an opened position lying away from the exterior surface to unblock the first air-discharge port to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port.
11. The child restraint of claim 10, wherein the first vent means also includes a second valve flap having a second anchor coupled to the exterior surface and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first anchor of the first valve flap to locate the first air-discharge port therebetween and a second closure coupled to the second anchor for movement between a normally closed position trapping the first closure between the exterior surface and the second closure to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and an opened position lying away from the exterior surface and freeing the first closure to move away from the exterior surface to unblock the first air-discharge port to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port.
12. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the first force dissipater further includes a second air bag arranged to lie alongside the first air bag and formed to include a second air chamber and a second air-discharge port opening into the second air chamber and second vent means coupled to the second air bag for venting pressurized air developed in the second air chamber through the second air-discharge port during deformation of the second air bag caused by exposure of the second air bag to an external impact force associated with the external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat.
13. The child restraint of claim 12, wherein the first vent means includes a first airbag valve unit associated with the first air-discharge port formed in the first air bag and configured to include a first valve flap coupled to the first air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the first air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap of the first air bag valve unit from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first airbag valve unit cooperate to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first airbag valve unit cooperate to form an air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and wherein the second vent means includes a second airbag valve unit associated with the second air-discharge port formed in the second air bag and configured to include a first valve flap coupled to the second air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the second air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap of the second airbag valve unit from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the second airbag valve unit cooperate to block discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the second airbag valve unit cooperate to form an air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port.
14. A child restraint comprising
- a juvenile vehicle seat and
- an energy-dissipation system coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat, the energy-dissipation system including a first ride-down pad including a first force dissipater coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat and a second force dissipater arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the juvenile vehicle seat to locate the first force dissipater therebetween,
- wherein the first force dissipater includes a first air bag formed to include a first air chamber and separate first and second air-discharge ports opening into the first air chamber and first vent means coupled to the first air bag for venting pressurized air developed in the first air chamber through the first and second air-discharge ports during deformation of the first air bag caused by exposure of the first air bag to an external impact force associated with an external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat, and
- wherein the second force dissipater includes a second air bag formed to include a second air chamber and separate first and second air-discharge ports opening into the second air chamber and second vent means coupled to the second air bag for venting pressurized air developed in the second air chamber through the first and second air-discharge ports formed in the second air bag during deformation of the second air bag caused by exposure of the second air bag to an external impact force associated with the external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat.
15. The child restraint of claim 14, wherein the first vent means includes a first valve unit coupled to the first air bag and configured to regulate flow of air through the first air-discharge port formed in the first air bag and a second valve unit coupled to the first air bag and configured to regulate flow of air through the second air-discharge port formed in the first air bag and wherein the second vent means includes a first valve unit coupled to the second air bag and configured to regulate flow of air through the first air-discharge port formed in the second air bag and a second valve unit coupled to the second air bag and configured to regulate flow of air through the second air-discharge port formed in the second air bag.
16. The child restraint of claim 15, wherein the first air bag includes an interior surface defining a boundary of the first air chamber and an exterior surface facing away from the first air chamber, the first valve unit of the first vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the first-air bag, and the second valve unit of the first vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag, and wherein the second air bag includes an interior surface defining a boundary of the second air chamber and an exterior surface facing away from the second air chamber, the first valve unit of the second vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag, and the second valve unit of the second vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag.
17. The child restraint of claim 16, wherein
- the first valve unit of the first vent means includes a first valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap of the first vent means from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first valve unit of the first vent means cooperate to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surrounding through the first air-discharge port of the first air bag to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first valve unit of the first vent means cooperate to form a first air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port of the first air bag,
- the second valve unit of the first vent means includes a first valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag and mounted for movement relative to the second valve flap of the first vent means from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the second valve unit of the first vent means cooperate to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port of the first air bag to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the second valve unit of the first vent means cooperate to form a second air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port of the first air bag,
- the first valve unit of the second vent means includes a first valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap of the second vent means from a port-closing position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first valve unit of the second vent means cooperate to block discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port of the second air bag to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the first valve unit of the second vent means cooperate to form a third air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port of the second air bag, and
- the second valve unit of the second vent means includes a first valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag and a second valve flap coupled to the exterior surface of the second air bag and mounted for movement relative to the first valve flap of the second vent means from a port-closing position wherein the fifth and second valve flaps of the second valve unit of the second vent means cooperate to block discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port of the second air bag to a port-opening position wherein the first and second valve flaps of the second valve unit of the second vent means cooperate to form a fourth air-conducting passageway therebetween to allow discharge of air from the second air chamber to the surroundings through the second air-discharge port of the second air bag.
18. A child restraint comprising
- a juvenile vehicle seat
- an energy-dissipation system coupled to the juvenile vehicle seat, the energy-dissipation system including a first force dissipater including a first air bag formed to include a first air chamber and a first air-discharge port opening into the first air chamber and first vent means coupled to the first air bag for venting pressurized air developed in the first air chamber through the first air-discharge port during deformation of the first air bag caused by exposure of the first air bag to an external impact force associated with an external impact force applied to the juvenile vehicle seat, wherein the first air bag is formed to locate the first air-discharge port between the first air chamber and the first vent means
- wherein the first air bag includes an interior surface defining a boundary of the first air chamber and an exterior surface facing away from the first air chamber and the first vent means is coupled to the exterior surface of the first air bag
- wherein the first vent means includes a first valve flap having a first anchor coupled to the exterior surface and a first closure coupled to the first anchor for movement between a normally closed position blocking discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and an opened position lying away from the exterior surface to unblock the first air-discharge port to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and
- wherein the first vent means also includes a second valve flap having a second anchor coupled to the exterior surface and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first anchor of the first valve flap to locate the first air-discharge port therebetween and a second closure coupled to the second anchor for movement between a normally closed position trapping the first closure between the exterior surface and the second closure to block discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port and an opened position lying away from the exterior surface and freeing the first closure to move away from the exterior surface to unblock the first air-discharge port to allow discharge of air from the first air chamber to the surroundings through the first air-discharge port.
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Type: Grant
Filed: May 20, 2009
Date of Patent: Nov 15, 2011
Patent Publication Number: 20100295341
Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventors: Andrew W. Marsden (Hingham, MA), Ward Fritz (Chelsea, MA), Walter S. Bezaniuk (Berkley, MA), Joe Langley (Foxboro, MA), David Amirault (Easton, MA)
Primary Examiner: Sarah B McPartlin
Attorney: Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Application Number: 12/469,329
International Classification: B60N 2/42 (20060101);